After walking about half of the 42,000 square metres of the Living Kitchen Fair www.livingkitchen-cologne.com in Cologne, Germany this past January, everything started to became a bit of a blur.

I found my aging brain searching to remember who showed the pretty pink kitchen, and where I saw the faucet that dispenses boiling water, the matte black countertop, the blue lacquered cabinets, the portable range-exhaust fan. And what, for heaven’s sake, were the trend threads that tied it all together?

In an attempt to keep it all straight, I jotted down a word at the end of each day that summarized my experience. After four days, I had “functionality, borderless design, versatile finishes, smart home features.”

Let’s begin with home tech. While it undoubtedly delivers the wow factor, there’s a serious conversation among designers and brands about which features and apps actually make kitchens more functional.

Smart panels set into countertops that allow users to access recipes, news, or communication features, or countertop surfaces that can seamlessly transform into induction cooktops, have potential. But other ideas – the see-through fridge door or being able to turn on the shower while finishing up cooking — may have less staying power.

Water being an integral element of the kitchen, tech is a natural fit for faucets. Consumers are embracing models with sensors to turn them on and off with a wave of the hand, or that can dispense hot or carbonated water, and pre-measured volumes.

“Low-tech” designs are being offered as sensible solutions to common kitchen design challenges. Removable drawers from German manufacturer Ballerina Kuchen, for example, that can be pulled out to serve as storage or trays, are a simple way to make baking ingredients, craft items, and linens more accessible and portable.

Boundaries in the design world continue to fall away as economies, culture, and design influences interconnect in the wired global marketplace.

North American industry players, such as the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) National Kitchen and Bath Association, address this reality with initiatives like a Global Connect program, which took designers and media from North America and Europe to the show to experience the growing international integration of kitchen/bath manufacturing, marketing, and design.

NOTE: NKBA paid for my accommodation and transportation to Living Kitchen. They did not review this piece prior to publication.

Unrelenting social media means design trade winds now blow in all directions. The modern farmhouse look popularized in North America, for example, has emerged in lines by German manufacturer Nobilia, which sells close to a third of all kitchens in Germany, with an “urban cottage look” line called Cascada.

An interconnected marketplace means companies like Blanco are often simultaneously releasing new product in several markets. Right now, for example, they are showing farmhouse sinks in Silgranit — their proprietary natural granite composite material — in only slightly different shades of grey on both sides of the Atlantic.

The influence on design for people wanting to age in place, or those with limited mobility, will touch every product category. Johan Vildadrich’s Elder Knife www.johanviladrich.com, designed to be more ergonomic while sitting (or in a wheelchair) gained attention in the fair’s Pure Talents contest, which showcases emerging designers.

German manufacturer Kesseböhmer has a wide range of systems for cabinetry that open with the touch of the finger, lift and close automatically, and make use of otherwise wasted space.

Similarly, a younger, more mobile demographic accustomed to open and small spaces will drive brands to offer highly functional, handsome kitchen fittings that either float or stand on furniture-like legs, and which are available in finishes and materials that can also be used in other zones of the home to enhance flow. Poggenpohl’s Venovo line masters this; it holds itself gracefully in space, and looks terrific from every angle.

As walls between rooms continue to dissolve, the challenge of creating attractive storage and display space for table- and serve-ware is met with beautifully designed glass and/or open shelving. Low-energy LEDs make it easy to add gallery-style lighting.

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